living at the beach

One wonderful perk of sailing solo on NCL is being able to use the cappuccino/ espresso/ latte machine for free

1 hour ago, Knights on the Beach said:

 

When you log into your AARP account, click on Rewards then under Browse Rewards click on Redeem and select Members Only. The Carnival gift cards are the first thing that show up there for me - but that might be because I buy them so frequently. 😂

Thanks so much!Your tip saved me so much and now I am comfortable booking destination y April Carnival Venezia  cruise after more than a decade since my last one when my husband still would go with me. I am platinum on Carnival but since having to go solo have favored NCL where I am sapphire. NCLis cutting back on entertainment and I am a bit tired of their offerings, so going back to Carnival is very exciting to me, but more expensive before I found your text and reduced my costs

I’ve been checking online and can’t find the AARP discounted gift cards - not on the AARP website or Carnivals. Has this been discontinued or am I not doing my search correctly?

Solo balconies are not all in poor locations. I have one booked on the March 3rd Breakaway mid ship on deck 12. I had a solo interior on the Viva in January. In each case the price was much less than booking those categories as a single person and I got to get into the solo studio whenever I wanted . Which in addition to being a nice quiet area has a complimentary fantastic cappuccino, espresso, machine and juices, pastries, fruit in the morning. Nice way to get that first cup of coffee without dealing with the crowds 

Thanks so much to you all for your input. You’ve confirmed my suspicions 

Looking at the deck plans for the Viva, lots of new things on the Ocean Walk ,but looks like much fewer comfortable seats than on the Breakaway ships, and only one outside bar now.  I have loved the Breakaway Waterfront, but I will be sailing on the Viva in January and trying to decide if I should go for a Vibe pass if there’s so little seating on the Vivas deck 8 because I don’t want to be fighting for seats on the Oceanwalk. Anyone who’s been on the Viva please comment

6 hours ago, MeHeartCruising said:

I'm on the January 21st Breakaway sailing from New Orleans.  On my Cruise Planner, entertainment is not yet reservable.  However, when I drill into the description for "Six", the following message is shown on that page under the description:

 

"Beginning January 26th, 2024, SIX will no longer be offered."

Hoping the new shows will be good. Saw Six last year and even though I’m very interested in the six wives of Henry the Eighth and enjoy Broadway musicals, found the show very repetitive and I would not want to see it again 

Thank you so much

This is a question about a previous post, but I couldn’t find a way to get there. In regards to the Dockyards mini bus, where do you go to get it? I never knew about it in the past and therefore used to take the regular bus that let me out at the top of the hill. Thanks

I can’t find the basic library on NCL deck plans. Various posts say it is behind the Atrium screen as in the basic Breakaway ships. But these posts are dated before the refurbishment. I don’t want to pack another book if I don’t need to to keep my baggage as lean as possible. Any current information?

I have done so many cruises over the years and have flowed with the changes. Norwegian has been my favorite and I have achieved sapphire. Last year and earlier this year I did a cruise leaving from Rome going through the Greek Islands ending in  BarcelOna and then in March of this year an 8 day Bahamas cruise with my daughter from NYC. In each case I had to stand in lines weaving around without any staff member to assist to help me, first with a card key that wouldn’t work, and then , my fault a bit the timing was bad so I had a theft issue with the card I used for onboard purchases. I am not saying that I am never going on Norwegian or any other cruise line, but I am choosing a different alternative this fall and hoping the staff cutbacks will get better by next year so I can go back to cruising again 

I was on the Epic for a January 8-15 cruise. I had read about the problems at the PanAmerican port but I had hoped that NCL would have worked on the issues, and also since we were the only ship docked,not like the week before, I decided that leaving 2 hours later after having lunch near my pre cruise hotel would work. When I arrived via taxi, I saw many people who had abandoned their transportation wheeling their luggage along the side of the road. No sidewalks, check it out on google. At least I felt that I was okay, having gotten fairly close to the terminal. No NCL staff at the end of the long line I got into. I asked people around me if this was the right line because I had learned from Cruise Critic that there were 2 lines,  it no further information. I am 75 with a weak shoulder, but I kept dragging my bags, inching forward for about 10-15 minutes. Finally, a staff member approached mr

e and said I didn’t need to stay in this line because I had already attached my luggage tags, and pointer to a tent up ahead where I should go. Why no staff member was appointed to go to the end of the long line where all the taxis and busses were unloading is a painful mystery. Because many if not most of the passengers trying to get on were residents of Puerto Rico and first time cruisers, there were hundreds of folks without luggage tags. Later I heard a staff member saying to another that there were over 50 people who didn’t put any personal information about who they were, that it caused big problems getting luggage to the right cabins. In a few words, total chaos! And disembarkation was equally terrible, as was on board cabin service. Despite putting a please make up cabin and leaving for a 5 hour shore excursion, I came back to no service, dirty towels, paying for more service- a circumstance that I finally figured out that we were sailing with over 4600 passengers and barely 1600 staff. Now, just to answer any potential questions, I was in a balcony stateroom, and I am sapphire on NCL. From reading other posts on the Cruise Critic NCL site, it doesn’t seem that other ships docking in different ports haven’t had such awful experiences, but if you’re planning to cruise on the Epic, please check out on how they’re doing recently. Hope it’s getting better  

I saw Six on NCL and was very disappointed. No memorable lyrics, highlighted the horrible treatment that Henry the Eight  disposed of his wives, very blah! Was hoping for Priscilla, and since cruise ships are filling up for the winter getaway season, if not Priscilla, something better than Six 

On 9/17/2022 at 9:02 PM, YVRteacher said:

Thanks for posting!  While I love the freedom of choice, I’m so disappointed about the rule for solo travellers.  

Not really understanding, I am solo,Platinum , always before had a voucher before for one dinner to  Le Bistro for two with a bottle of wine, plus another voucher for La Cochina, or another choice for two , and could invite someone to be there. So please, break down the new changes for me. So confused 

Wow, guess I was sending a message to either Christian, Muslim, or either religious people who  could check out simple questions that wanted some factual responses, but also living in the spirit of religious doctrines, saying  “ -don’t cast the first stone”, love each other as yourself, and treat each other as you would wish others to treat yourself. I just asked for an informed answer to my question, so sad to get emotionally negative responses with no real factual basis

Thanks for your input.

34 minutes ago, DaCruiseBug said:

 

What's the fuss? The fuss is that they just announced another price increase for the beverage package and a basic drink like Baileys is no longer included. I don't care that it's only $1.20 each time I drink it...it's the principle.

 

Also, no...not necessarily about Celebrity having a higher price point. You'll actually find them quote comparable and you have the option of buying just the cruise or also the perks with it. Right now you can book a 5 night sailing on Celebrity for about $975 per person ($1,950 for the entire cabin) in a balcony cabin with a drink package, unlimited wifi, and daily gratuities included. Can you find anything cheaper on NCL that includes as much? I don't think so...

Really, unless you are having multiple shots of Baileys, what’s the fuss about? And comparing to Celebrity, isn’t their basic booking price much higher? Yea,it’ll dislike the nickel and dimming on  Norwegian, but overall I like the vibe on NCL as opposed to  Celebrity and the total cost even adding in the extra nickel and diminish charges on NCL is less than Celebrity. Am I wrong? I’m not conceited so I’d be glad to learn otherwise 

Just now, living at the beach said:

Me too, not a hypocrite, just someone wanting to cruise again with some issues but can’t expose myself because I don’t want to die earlier than I need too. Why would anyone want to ridicule me for needing to wear a mask and still hoping to travel a few times again? 

On 9/4/2022 at 11:02 PM, vtgumby said:

We do. I can make my own bed and reuse my towels just like I do at home. We have always given them the night off on any cruise and frequently get service every third day so I’m more than happy as a mask wearer to give my cabin stew the week off. 
We also do a wipe down of surfaces when we get into our cabin, 60 seconds of reassurance.

Well, as someone who loves Bermuda and has been there many times before, I do hope that in the near future Bermuda drops these limits because I would love to go there again- best time May through June, so maybe by then this will get sorted out

On 6/17/2022 at 12:36 PM, VineaMea said:

Go to the NCL Website, Click on Explore, selected Land and Sea Packages.There will be locations to select from with pictures, you want to click on Mediterranean. Once it takes you to the page, on the tabs that start with "highlights" about 6 tabs across is HOTELS. Civitavecchia - The Piram Hotel, says that it is in Rome's historic center steps for the Opera House and Santa Maria Basilica. it has a list of information such as distance from Airport and Pier and that it includes the room and tax, bellman gratuities, breakfast and transfers between the hotel and pier. It says that you call the number 1.866.234.7350 to book.

Thanks so much. Great information 

Just now, living at the beach said:

Vinea, what hotel in Rome is using? I am leaving on the Dawn in October and I want to fly in the day before and then get the NCL transfer to Civitvecchia. Thanks for any information yo have

7 hours ago, VineaMea said:

The credit, to my understanding is a 'waived' fee. Previously, NCL charged $25 to deviate from day of embarkation/disembarkation. So they basically have waived the fee should you wish to fly in the day before or out after. The transfer fee is completely separate but if you do not need it, you can have it removed.

 

NCL does have hotels in most port cities (not all) that you can call to book through NCL, if you do, they will transfer you to/from the hotel/to/from the port. I have yet to do this because I have found a less expensive hotel and transferred on my own. BUT I am looking at a cruise from Civitivecchia and the hotel that they have listed in Rome is very pretty so I am considering.

 

You will have to click through the website to find it and call. That part is not as user friendly, IMO. That is ok. I enjoy figuring it out. It's VACATION!

 

Well, many say they are worried about home invasions and so they need guns. But please think! T

While there are some that end in violence, the incidence is minuscule compared to deaths and injuries incurred by people who have no previous criminal history.

Today's incident, and just for saying I am a lucky one who opted to fly into FLL yesterday and so avoided this massive tragedy, but at my hotel I personally saw a teenage girl in tears with her other giant faced family members who had checked in to go on a family surmise tomorrow, work with hotel staff members to call a taxi to get to Broward hospital to be with one of their family who had been on a different flight and the had learned that he had been critically shot by this madman. Not a criminal so gun activists, what you want to wait until more people are killed before we institute sane gun law controls? Not doing away with guns, but like any other dangerous matter like automobiles or drugs, keeping the dangerous things from those who have mental issues. In addition, there are so many more people killed by domestic violence killings, accidental shooting of loved ones in homes where guns are not adequately hidden, what are we thinking?